TODAYS REFLECTION 7TH WEEK OF EASTER FRI MAY 13

TODAYS REFLECTION 7TH WEEK OF EASTER FRI MAY 13 ( Acts 25:13b -21, Jn 21:15-19 )

LETOURLOVEFORGODBEDEEPSINCEREANDIRREVOCABLE#

Friends reflecting on the Gospel reading for today we see that it is one of the most beautiful Bible passages on leadership. Peter is restored to fellowship with Jesus, commissioned, told the cost of service, and then shown the path to a successful ministry. A restored Peter can now be commissioned to serve the people of God. Jesus tells him to feed his lambs and tend his sheep. Pope Francis has made a point to emphasize that you cannot do this from an ivory tower or a closed off office, You cannot tend sheep and not get your hands on them. A good shepherd will smell like the sheep.

Beloved, today three times Jesus asked Peter if he loved Him. Why three times? One reason was so that Peter could "make up" for the three times he denied Jesus. No, Jesus did not need Peter to apologize three times, but Peter needed to express his love three times and Jesus knew it. Three is also a number of perfection. For example, we say God is "Holy, Holy, Holy." This triple expression is a way of saying that God is the Holiest of all. By Peter being given the opportunity to tell Jesus three times that He loved Him it was an opportunity for Peter to express His love in the deepest of ways.

The triple question also gives us the opportunity to express our deepest longing for His mercy. We all sin. We all deny Jesus in one way or another. But the good news is that Jesus is always inviting us to let our sin be a motivation for deepening our love. He doesn't hold our sin over our heads. But He does ask for the deepest of sorrow and a complete conversion of heart. Let us today Make a choice to express our love for God in a triple way. Let it be deep, sincere and irrevocable. The Lord will receive this heartfelt act and return it to us in a hundredfold. Wish you a blessed weekend.